Homeland|Asylum seekers
Military service or business promotion are not in themselves grounds for granting international protection, says the Immigration Office. Finland has a fairly good understanding of the profile of Russians seeking asylum in Finland.
Whereby on the grounds that Russians are granted asylum in Finland, and how will the partial suspension of business announced in the country on Wednesday change the situation?
In Finland, preparations are already being made for how the partial implementation of the movement could be reflected in Finland. For example, the border authority has told to be prepared for the fact that more people will arrive at the eastern border than before. Towards Finland traffic picked up already the night before Thursday.
President Sauli Niinistö said on Wednesday To HS, that now it’s time to think about how to react to Russians of conscription age, who may increasingly be sent to Finland.
“We have to ask whether it is a reason for asylum to avoid conscription in a country that acts reprehensibly,” Niinistö stated.
Niinistö did not want to take a position on the matter yet and stated that there are “detailed differences” in the situation.
Asylum unit manager Antti Lehtinen The Finnish Immigration Service emphasizes that many things are still unclear. For example, it is still not completely clearall of whom are actually affected by the partial business launch in Russia.
Military service or business promotion are not in themselves grounds for granting international protection.
“The essential questions at the moment are whether the asylum seeker is at risk of participating in war crimes or crimes against humanity and what the consequences are if he refuses military service,” says Lehtinen.
Proof of enlistment can be essential evidence.
For example, when entering service in Syria, one will probably have to participate in war crimes, and at the same time, the punishment for refusing to serve is estimated to be significant.
in Finland there is no goal setting for Russia, on the basis of which Russians would be granted asylum.
“All applications are processed individually and evaluated in light of the current situation in the country of origin,” says Lehtinen.
In principle, the Finnish Immigration Service could draw up a policy on the criteria by which Russians are entitled to asylum in Finland.
It has been customary to draw lines only in a situation where there is an ongoing internal conflict in the country. In the case of Russia, this is not the case.
The goal setting regarding Russia could possibly be done at the EU level in the European Asylum Agency. This would promote uniform processing of applications in different member states, says Lehtinen.
“We face the same questions when we are in other member countries.”
On the other hand Finland already has a fairly good understanding of the profile of Russians seeking asylum. Before the February attack, applicants from the Caucasus, Jehovah’s Witnesses and political activists stood out among those seeking asylum in Finland.
Since February, the number of people seeking asylum on political grounds and opposition to the war has increased.
It is still difficult to say the effect of Wednesday’s partial implementation of the move on the refuges of the Russians.
“We still need to study the situation in Russia so that we can justify future asylum decisions,” says Lehtinen.
“Whenever something significant happens in the country’s situation, of course you have to analyze what it means for new and already pending applications.”
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